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Cedar Grove Productions
}} Cedar Grove Productions is an independent production company based in Los Angeles, CA., specializing in media and theatre arts representing the Asian Pacific American community. Media projects are educational, with Visual Communications (VC) serving as a non-profit fiscal sponsor.productions at Visual Communications site Motion Picture Background Company was founded 1996 by playwright Tim Toyama, actor/director Chris Tashima, producer Chris Donahue and actor/director Tom Donaldson, to bring the story of Holocaust rescuer Chiune “Sempo” Sugihara to the screen by adapting Toyama’s original one-act, Visas and Virtue, as a narrative short film. Visas and Virtue (1997) film won the Academy Award for Live Action Short Film at the 70th Academy Awards.70th Oscars winners on IndieWire In tribute to that film's subject, the company takes its name from the literal translation of "Sugihara": sugi ( ) meaning cedar, and hara ( ) meaning field or grove.http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/dt/V131/N04/04-vision.04d.html Company describes itself as, "... dedicated to developing and producing projects which boldly defy mainstream Hollywood by giving Asian Americans the close-up on screen, or the spotlight on stage."http://www.cedargroveproductions.com/daycreative_main.html company website Television Cedar Grove Productions produced Day of Independence, a narrative short film broadcast as a half-hour PBS television special on KHET/PBS Hawai'i in 2005. Produced by Lisa Onodera, the program received an Emmy nomination from the NATAS San Francisco/Northern California Chapter, in the category of Historical/Cultural – Program/Special.list of 35th NorCal Emmy noms; p. 9 (pdf) The fact-based story followed a young ''Nisei'' (second-generation Japanese American) baseball player during the Japanese American internment in World War II. Theatre In 2006, Cedar Grove OnStage was formed, as a sister company focusing on live theatre. It joined a multicultural consortium called the "Cultural Roundtable" at THE NEW LATC. Cedar Grove OnStage develops, produces and presents new Asian American theatre works, with Cedar Grove Productions co-founder Tashima serving as Artistic Director. Productions will be presented at the LATC venues in downtown Los Angeles. Other performance groups belonging to the Cultural Roundtable include the Latino Theater Company, Playwrights' Arena, Robey Theatre Company, Culture Clash, and American Indian Dance Theatre/Project HOOP."THE NEW LATC cancels series" by Lynne Heffley - 2/26/08 on Los Angeles Times online Cedar Grove OnStage developed "Be Like Water," a play written by award-winning performance artist Dan Kwong, which was produced by East West Players, in association with Cedar Grove OnStage, in September 2008.[http://www.eastwestplayers.org/on_the_stage/water.htm Be Like Water] on EWP site Educational Efforts In 2000, Cedar Grove Productions organized and presented “The AJA Circle: Artists of Japanese Ancestry,” a day-long seminar where Japanese and Japanese American theatre artists came together to share cultural experiences — of the Japanese American community's history in the U.S. and the artistic community of Asian Americans working in Hollywood. Moderated by playwright/producer Soji Kashiwagi and Tashima, panelists included Nisei playwrights Hiroshi Kashiwagi and Wakako Yamauchi, as well as noted actors George Takei, Tamlyn Tomita, Clyde Kusatsu, Amy Hill, Marcus Toji and Greg Watanabe. Community Recognition Community organizations have recognized Cedar Grove Productions for cultural and artistic contributions. Honors include the Biennium Award from the Japanese American Citizens League,Watsonville-Santa Cruz JACL newsletter, 7/06; Nat'l Convention report; p. 3 a Community Award given by the Japanese American Service Committee, of Chicago, a Special Recognition Award from the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, a Visionary Award from East West Players,NewsWire Finding Common Ground | Entertainment & Arts > Music Industry from AllBusiness.com and a Humanitarian Award received from The “1939” Club, a Holocaust Survivors’ organization.The "1939" Club history References External links *Cedar Grove Productions website *Cedar Grove OnStage on MySpace *[http://www.thenewlatc.com THE NEW LATC website] Category:Asian-American culture in Los Angeles Category:Asian-American issues Category:Asian-American organizations Category:Organizations based in California Category:Media companies established in 1996 Category:Film production companies of the United States Category:Media companies of the United States Category:Video production companies Category:Companies based in Los Angeles Category:Pacific Islands American culture in California